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The Final Battle I
It begins...! Blaze of the Death God The secrets of his training revealed...! The secret of Shukai... Back at the Hōōden, a day in the past, a worn Raian enters his inner world for the final time before the final battle. Closing his eyes tight, Raian calmed his spiritual energy until he felt the familiar breeze of the forest within his spirit. Opening his eyes once again, Raian found himself in the familiar environment of his soul; the snake-like form of his Zanpakutō spirit standing not too far from him. "Its the last day." Raian declared, standing up to face the dragon. "We still haven't mastered the Shukai we earned." The dragon simply stared back at him, looking him over once... then twice. Sighing in his deep voice, the dragon slowly snaked itself into the sky; floating just above its master. "We shall now do so." the spirit answered. In the sky behind him, four flaming swords materialized — their sheer light casting shadows across the entire spirit world. Raian stared in awe at their appearance and the raw power being radiated off of them, but was instantly confused as to why they had appeared. "Surely you are confused?" Kanāji Fūshin asked. "These swords represent the weapons you used as your Shinigami weapon in the past. Do you remember their names? Jūjiraiku, Butaimaru, Kagemusha, Tentōken — all are swords you have called your Zanpakutō. You must've thought it strange." Raian narrowed his eyes, "I never had thought of it. I was taught that Shinigami only had one Zanpakutō, and I had only been given one Asauchi in my younger days. But it seems like after every major event, my powers evolved, and with them, my Zanpakutō changed too." he explained. "That is an incorrect assumption." Kanāji Fūshin snapped. "Your Zanpakutō didn't 'change'. It has always been me. You have just been confused. In the past, you used me, but after you were bitten by the Hollow Seireitou Kawahiru, you began calling your weapon Tentōken. Instead of relying on me, you began relying on the Hollow side of your power. Butaimaru, the sword that transformed this world into a swamp, was a result of your increasing despair at being unable to protect Mashū. Kagemusha, the third sword, was born out of the darkness you resulted to in the wake of your increased despair. And Jūjiraiku was the sword you used after learning of your latent Jinki Fragment powers." "What are you trying to say?" Raian barked, agitated by the veiled accusations. "I'm saying they're frauds!" Kanāji Fūshin roared. "Instead of calling out your Shinigami powers, you relied on everything else that you crammed into yourself — into your very soul! Every time, you weakened yourself! You even deny my true nature!" "Your... true nature?!" Raian gasped. "This form of mine," the Zanpakutō continued. "Is also false. It is time for your to find your true power." Suddenly, the spirit form of Kanāji Fūshin began to transform into flames of spiritual energy before becoming an energy sword along with the other four. The now-five swords aligned with one another, floating mere feet away from Raian, blazing with full intensity. "One of these blades is the real Kanāji Fūshin and my true form. If you cannot find it, you cannot unlock your Shukai's full power." the spirit's voice still spoke. Raian sighed, stepping forward towards the blades, "Its not that hard, ya know. You make it seem like its impossible. I've spent the last few days training hard alongside you. Its this one." he said. Reaching up, Raian gripped the hilt of the furthermost sword causing the other four to be completely disintegrated. The sword in Raian's palm suddenly lit up, pushing Raian away with its spiritual pressure. Slowly, the sword transformed back into a more humanoid state. One all too familiar to Raian himself. The form the sword took was that of Mashū Getsueikirite, causing tremendous alarm from Raian himself. "Do not be deceived." the spirit snapped. "I am not him. I am indeed the being you just spoke to; Kanāji Fūshin. This is my true form and with it, my true power. Your Zanpakutō has never had Hollow powers, the ability to manipulate water or shadows, nor was it the power of your Jinki Fragment. Those were all powers you funneled through your sword by pulling on different aspects of your soul. Your power, despite my name, is not even to manipulate the wind. It has always been the power to manipulate the flow of the world." "The flow...?" Raian inquired, clearly lost. "Did you not ever wonder why your Hollow powers didn't consume you once your link to your wife broke? Or why, when you lost your Shinigami powers, you were able to draw a Fullbring from that power, despite not being a Human? Did you ever wonder why, during your Soul Link with Ichigo Kurosaki, you gained the knowledge to use his Getsuga Tenshō? More importantly, did you not ever wonder why you were capable of using so many different aspects of your soul through your Shinigami's sword? It is because you can open a flow — a path of energy, even unconsciously, with your own power, allowing you to transfer energy and information through the connection established. That is the power I offer you. That is your Shinigami's power." Kanāji Fūshin explained. "That doesn't explain why you look like Mashū." Raian interjected. "Are you that much of a fool?" the spirit snapped. "Every single major growth in your life has taken place because of your love for your brother. When you first received me as an Asauchi, your desire to protect him was not just imprinted on me — it drowned me. You awakened your Zanpakutō out of your need to defend him. Your Shikai and Bankai awoke out of the desire to gain the power to protect him. It was out of this need that your Hollow powers came under your control, that your Shinigami powers were restored after you lost them. It is for that reason that you are even able to use Shukai. It is only natural that the corporal manifestation of your powers should take the form of the person closest to your soul." "I think I understand now..." Raian said solemnly, bowing his head in thought. "Raian." the spirit continued. "Any wall that previously blocked your power is gone. It is time for you to return. Protect Soul Society and protect those close to you. I will lend you any power to accomplish that." "Yeah..." Raian replied, fading out of his inner world. In the present... "Why is his reiatsu so dense..." Akujin was thinking, observing the newly arrived Raian and Seireitou on the battlefield. "Its like all of his resolve has finally made it to the surface." "Let's go." Yhwach declared, interrupting his thoughts. "Aizen can focus on powering up the Hollow. You and I can crush them and put an end to this resistance once and for all." "....So be it." Akujin replied, leaping down after the Quincy king. Gripping the hilt of his Zanpakutō, Raian rose up into battle posture, Seireitou directly beside him. With a crash, their opponents landed directly beside them — pairing off, Yhwach and Seireitou, and Raian and Akujin. The final battle begins! Seireitou's Match!